Category: Internet Radio

Most people may think that setting up an internet radio station is a direct ticket to make money online. It takes hard work, commitment, and above all a good plan to succeed. Initial set up costs are also high, contrary to the normal thoughts out there that starting this business is an easy venture. In this article, we are going to tackle the various ways through which online radios make money and possibly suggest the best ways you can follow to start and promote your internet radio station with the aim of earning money.

So how can you earn money from your internet radio station?

Internet radios don’t rely on one way to earn cash. There are different business models that you can follow to start and promote internet radio station in order to earn money. The two main models use are:

1. Sponsorship model

This model is a more indirect method of advertising used by internet radios. In this model, companies pay to sponsor particular shows aimed at target audience or demography. The way it works is the presenter mentions the sponsor at the start and end of a show, endorsing the sponsoring company or their service. Some radios also showcase the sponsorship in their site.

Advertisement model

In the advertisement model, companies pay for air-time. This is the most common method used that is tried and tested. Small sound bites get played in between tracks. It is a simple but efficient way to grab the listener’s attention.

Other ways to earn money

3. Membership

This is another sure and effective way to generate revenue. If managed correctly, you can make a good fortune out of your internet radio. To justify your membership fee, you need to be a notch higher from the free to air internet radios. Justify to your listeners that the content is worth the fee you’re charging them.

4. Donations

Rather than going the membership way, you can also decide to go off goodwill and generosity from your listeners. You can embed a PayPal donate button on your website to allow listeners donate what they want. The good thing with this model is that there is no limit on the amount you can receive, but you are also not sure of how much you’ll get making it not a long term option of making money from your online radio.

5. Affiliate marketing

Online businesses have affiliate programs that pay money bases on the number of clicks. Some even pay a commission on sales originating from clicks. Unique tracking IDs are used to track the number of people funneled from your website.

Since the advent of electronic communication, radio has been a big part of our lives. Whether doing home chores, stuck in traffic jam, or even at work—listen to the radio is a norm. We all have our favorite presenters and shows. Even with other technologies such as TV, the convenience of radio still holds up.

The maturity of the Internet saw the fall of many technologies, including cable television, and even some decline in voice phone calls. Luckily for radio, it was very easy to use the new platform, hence the plethora of radio stations availing live streaming of their radio stations. Unlike cable television, many people still enjoy listening to radio stations—especially now that they are accessible on the internet.

Radio in the age of the internet

Unlike traditional broadcast radio, internet radio works a little different. Here is the comparison.

Broadcast radio

Broadcast worked by sending radio waves using a certain licensed frequency—in all directions. The coverage then determined who listened to the radio. Most radio coverage is usually nationwide.

Internet radio

The internet works a little different—basically using an IP address to transmit audio, a process called streaming. Users can then visit this IP address on a web browser and be able to listen to the radio.

Benefits of internet radio

Advantages that Internet radio avails

Worldwide coverage

Unlike broadcast radio, the internet makes worldwide coverage a very easy. Once the radio is being streamed via an individual IP address, it is linked to a domain name, and anyone with the domain name can listen to the radio from all over the world.

More ways to monetize content

If you host radio on a web page, it becomes better for advertisement. Alongside the traditional radio adverts, visual one’s can be placed on the web page, targeting the individuals that visit the station online. This ends up in more revenue earned.

More engaging

Alongside the advertisements, live chat groups can be created, making it very easy for people to start conversations, creating a thriving community.

Better audio quality

With the internet, the radio signal strength doesn’t determine how clear a signal is. The recipient will always receive high-quality audio.

No interference

The frequencies that are used by broadcast radio, like FM and AM, are usually congested, and are very easy to highjack, meaning that sometime; you might get interference. Internet radio overcomes this particularly because every radio gets a unique IP address, and there are enough IP addresses for everyone.